Drought-like situation is spreading fast with rains playing spoil sport in backward Srikakulam District and it may hit the yield of paddy according to farmers. The crucial month of July has come to an end almost without rains.
In fact, the farmers were in an upbeat mood in June with the excess and even rainfall in all the 38 mandals. However, the situation completely changed in July with the deficit rainfall in all divisions such as Srikakulam, Palakonda and Tekkali.
Agriculture activity was badly affected in the entire district due to scanty rainfall. According to the data provided by the District administration, Palakonda Division registered 45 per cent deficit as the division could get 107 mm rainfall as against 201.2 mm normal fall. Palakonda, Veeraghattam, Kotturu and other mandals were the worst hit in the division.
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The situation is slightly better in Tekkali Division which got 118.4 mm rainfall as against the normal of 177.2 mm. The same is the case with the Srikakulam Division which received 206.5 mm as against the normal of 156.1 mm. Paddy growing area is expected to come down with the drought-like situation in majority of the mandals. Normally, paddy is grown in 2.05 lakh hectares. Many farmers who have taken up sowing activity in the month of June are a worried lot now about their future.
Many farmers said that yield could come down drastically with the lack of sufficient water for fields at the crucial time. “Usually we get about 30 bags per acre in normal condition. But will come down drastically this time with the deficit rainfall. We don’t have irrigation facility,” said K. Malleswara Rao, a farmer of Amadalavalasa mandal.
“The farmers will also be forced to migrate to other areas if the situation does not improve in a couple of weeks,” said another farmer B. Kurminaidu. The officials indicated that the situation was unlikely to improve in August as Indian Meteorological Department had forecast bad scenario in the entire country.
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